1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shipping package and a storing method of a trade form of selling through transportation and storing or the like in the closed and sealed state of an ink jet head cartridge and an ink tank which are exchangeable and capable of being attached to and removed from an ink jet recording device, and more particularly, it relates to a storing method and a storing container of an ink tank in which a negative pressure generating member containing chamber and an ink containing chamber are adjacent to each other and the ink containing chamber can be separate from the negative pressure generating member containing chamber, and an ink jet head cartridge to which the above described ink tank is mounted.
2. Related Background Art
The ink jet recording device is a device which ejects liquid ink from an ejection port of a recording head to perform recording of characters, images, or the like onto a recording medium such as paper, and the recording heads used in the recording device are roughly divided into two types: a permanent type; and a disposal type.
In the permanent type recording head, a recording head is assembled in the device in advance when delivering the recording device, and a service man performs exchange of heads only in trouble. In the case of such a permanent type recording head, at the time of transportation and storing, in many cases, a cap is applied to the ejection port of the recording head in a state of filling the recording head with recording ink or conservation liquid to perform the transportation and storing.
Moreover, the disposal type recording heads can further roughly divided into an integral type ink jet head cartridge which is integrated at all times with an ink tank for keeping ink to be supplied to the recording head, and a tank separable type ink jet head cartridge in which a tank holder is provided to the recording head as a mounting part of the tank and both can be separated from each other as needed. In any case, an operator can perform the exchange of heads by changing the cartridge to a new one as needed.
As for the transportation and storing of the integral type ink jet head cartridge, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-176156 (Patent Registration No. 2683120) by the present applicant or the like is well known. The above described publication discloses a configuration in which a tank is filled with ink and an ejection port of a recording head and an atmosphere communicating port provided in the ink tank are both sealed.
On the other hand, as for the transportation and storing of the separable type ink jet head cartridge, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-183028 by the present applicant is well known, which proposes that a head to be exchanged and an exchangeable tank should be separated since the evaporative composition of ink is adhered to the contact part of the recording head of the electrical connecting part with the recording device to cause a functional drop of the recording head when the exchangeable tank is mounted to the head to be exchanged to be integrally packaged. In the above described publication, it is also disclosed to use an insulating member for preventing the evaporation from the gap between a handling member of the head and the head, and to seal the ejection port by a sealing member and a cap member while filling the interior of the head with ink or conservation liquid. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-17056 discloses a transportation and storing method in which a head filled with ink is contained in a closed package filled with inert gas.
On the other hand, as an ink tank single unit for keeping ink to be supplied to the above described recording head, an ink tank has been proposed and put in practical use, in which a negative pressure generating chamber for generating negative pressure to the recording head and an ink containing chamber for directly containing ink are integrated through a communicating part for the purpose of improving the storing efficiency and efficiency of use of the ink in the ink tank.
As an example of this, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-125232 (Patent Registration No. 2684508) which discloses an invention of making the negative pressure generating member near the atmosphere communicating port to be closed an area in which no ink is kept, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-40043 (Patent Registration No. 2683187) which discloses an invention of a partition wall with a structure of hastening gas-liquid exchange can be shown. The above described publications also disclose a trade form of an ink tank single unit in which the atmosphere communicating port for making the interior of the negative pressure generating chamber in the communicating state to the atmosphere and the ink supply port for supplying ink to the outside such as the recording head are both sealed, and they are excellent inventions.
Herein, recently, the ink jet recording device is required to perform more highly detailed recording onto various recording media.
Part of the present applicant and others have made an application on a type of an ink supply system more excellent in practice in which the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the ink containing chamber corresponding to this are adjacent to each other and the ink containing chamber is exchangeable to the negative pressure generating member containing chamber, wherein the buffer space in the negative pressure generating member containing chamber can be reduced under various environments and in the meantime, the supplying of ink can be performed under a stable condition of negative pressure during the operation of the ink containing chamber, while increasing the allowance to gaseous expansion of the external air introduced by the gas-liquid exchange. As the ink jet head cartridge to which this new liquid supply system is applied, the following configurations or the like are proposed:
(1) a configuration in which the recording head part and the negative pressure generating member containing chamber are integrated and the ink containing chamber can be installed and removed; and
(2) a configuration in which the negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the ink containing chamber can be installed to and removed from the recording head part.
The present invention is thought out by a more preferable idea of the present applicant and others, on the basis of this new ink jet head cartridge.
That is, as a result of an examination on the transportation and storing of the above described head cartridge, the following new problems have been found out:
As for the case (1), the interior of the recording head and the negative pressure generating member in the negative pressure generating member containing chamber are normally filled with ink or conservation liquid during the transportation and storing. Here, unless the communicating part with the ink containing chamber provided in the negative pressure generating member containing chamber is surely sealed, the viscosity of ink near the communicating part is increased to increase the resistance of the communicating part, and after that, even when the ink containing chamber is mounted, there is a possibility of causing a problem in the performance of supplying ink at the time of high speed supply, in the worst case.
As for the case (2), generally, in many cases, the change in atmospheric pressure and the change in temperature during the transportation and storing are larger than those during the use. Therefore, in some cases, the external air in the ink containing chamber expands to introduce the ink in the ink containing chamber to the negative pressure generating member containing chamber side. As a result of that, the internal volume in the ink containing chamber cannot be so much larger than that in the case of considering only the time when in use.
The present invention is thought out by the present inventor and others for solving the above described new technical problems, and it is an object thereof to provide a storing method of an ink jet head cartridge and an ink tank in which the supply of ink can stably be performed in service without newly increasing a member for sealing, by utilizing the characteristics of the above described liquid supply system, and a storing container of an ink jet head cartridge.
In order to attain the above described object, the storing method of an ink jet head cartridge of the present invention is a storing method of storing, in a closed space, an ink jet head cartridge including: an ink jet recording head having an ejection port for ejecting ink; and a mounting part to which an ink tank is exchangeably mounted, wherein the above described ink jet head cartridge comprises: a negative pressure generating member containing chamber which has a negative pressure generating member for generating negative pressure and has an atmosphere communicating part for communicating with the outside; a liquid supply container which has a liquid containing part forming a substantially closed space except for a communicating part communicating with the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber and capable of generating negative pressure by deforming accompanied with flowing-out of the liquid contained in the interior and has a box-like body with an inside surface equal to or analogous to an outside surface of the above described liquid containing part and an atmosphere communicating part for introducing the atmosphere, the liquid supply container being mounted onto the above described mounting part so as to form the above described communicating part communicating with the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber; and a first sealing member for sealing the above described ejection port and a second sealing member for sealing the atmosphere communicating part of the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber, and wherein part of the above described liquid containing part is made in a state of being separated from the above described box-like body in advance when mounting the above described liquid supply container onto the above described mounting part, and the interior of the above described liquid containing part of the above described liquid supply container and a liquid supply passage from the above described communicating part to the above described recording head are filled with liquid.
Furthermore, the storing container of an ink jet head cartridge of the present invention is a storing container for closing and keeping an ink jet head cartridge including: an ink jet recording head having an ejection port for ejecting ink; and a mounting part to which an ink tank is exchangeably mounted, wherein the above described ink jet head cartridge comprises: a negative pressure generating member containing chamber which has a negative pressure generating member for generating negative pressure and has an atmosphere communicating part for communicating with the outside; a liquid supply container which has a liquid containing part forming a substantially closed space except for a communicating part communicating with the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber and capable of deforming accompanied with the flowing-out of liquid contained in the interior to generate negative pressure and has a box-like body with an inside surface equal to or analogous to an outside surface of the above described liquid containing part and an atmosphere communicating part for introducing the atmosphere, the liquid supply container being mounted onto the above described mounting part so as to form the above described communicating part communicating with the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber; and a first sealing member for sealing the above described ejection port and a second sealing member for sealing the atmosphere communicating part of the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber, and wherein the interior of the above described liquid containing part of the above described liquid supply container and a liquid supply passage from the above described communicating part to the above described recording head are filled with liquid, and part of the above described liquid containing part is in a state of being separated from the above described box-like body.
According to the above described storing container and storing method of an ink jet head cartridge of the present invention, the storing is performed in the state where the negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the liquid supply container are connected, and therefore, it is unnecessary to mount a sealing member at the communicating part between the negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the liquid supply container, so that the packaging material may not increase. Furthermore, since the ink tank (liquid supply container) is provided in advance in the packaged and stored state, it does not take a long time until the ink jet head cartridge is mounted onto the recording device to be used since the ink jet head cartridge has been taken out of the storing container. Moreover, since the storing is performed in the state where the liquid supply passage leading to the recording head is filled with ink, the supply of ink is stable from the start of use.
Furthermore, since the state is made such that part of the liquid containing part is separated from the box-like body, the air in the negative pressure generating member containing chamber expands depending on the change of the storing environment or the like, and even in the case where part of the ink filled in the negative pressure generating member containing chamber flows into the liquid containing part of the liquid supply container, the liquid containing part absorbs the ink corresponding to the volume of expansion of the air by expanding for itself. Consequently, it is possible to prevent a big rise of the internal pressure in the liquid supply container accompanied with the environmental change.
Furthermore, in the present invention, the above described negative pressure generating member is configured by two absorbents made of fiber material, and it is configured such that a boundary surface of the above described two fellow absorbents is arranged on the atmosphere communicating part side of the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber relative to the above described communicating part, and consequently, the interface between ink and gas in both absorbents during the operation of gas-liquid exchange becomes the boundary surface of two fellow absorbents, and as a result, the static negative pressure in the head part during the operation of supplying ink is stabilized.
Furthermore, it is also possible to make the configuration such that the main fiber direction of the above described fiber material is arranged in the approximately horizontal direction in the attitude of the above described ink jet head cartridge in use.
Furthermore, it is also possible to make the configuration such that the boundary surface of the above described two fellow absorbents is arranged near the above described communicating part.
Furthermore, the storing method of a liquid container according to another embodiment of the present invention is a storing method for storing a liquid container including: a negative pressure generating member containing chamber which has a liquid supply part for supplying liquid to the outside and an atmosphere communicating part for communicating with the atmosphere and which contains a negative pressure generating member capable of keeping liquid in the interior; and a liquid containing chamber which forms a substantially closed space except for a communicating part to the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber and which has a liquid containing part for containing liquid, wherein the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the above described liquid containing chamber are separated from each other and the communicating part to the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber of the above described liquid containing chamber is closed in advance, and both the above described fellow containing chambers are connected to each other and the closing of the above described communicating part is released, for the first time when using the above described liquid container.
Furthermore, the liquid container according to another embodiment of the present invention is a liquid container including: a negative pressure generating member containing chamber which has a liquid supply part for supplying liquid to the outside and an atmosphere communicating part for communicating with the atmosphere and which contains a negative pressure generating member capable of keeping liquid in the interior; and a liquid containing chamber which forms a substantially closed space except for a communicating part to the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber and which has a liquid containing part for containing liquid, wherein the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the above described liquid containing chamber are separated from each other, and it further comprises: closing means for closing the communicating part to the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber of the above described liquid containing chamber; and regulating means for regulating the connecting direction when connecting the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the above described liquid containing chamber.
According to the above described configuration, the negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the liquid containing chamber are made in the separated state before an operation starts, and therefore, the ratio of the buffer to the environmental change can be reduced, so that the internal volume in the ink containing chamber may be maximized.
Furthermore, since it has regulating means for regulating the connecting direction of the negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the liquid containing chamber, it is possible to prevent the leakage or scattering of ink from occurring when installing and removing the negative pressure generating member containing chamber to and from the liquid containing chamber.
Furthermore, the configuration is made so that the regulating means may cover at least the periphery of the connecting area of the negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the liquid containing chamber, and therefore, even if leakage of ink or scattering of ink occurs from the connecting part of both fellow containing chambers, the ink is caught and gathered in the regulating means, and it is prevented from leaking out to the outside of the regulating means.
Furthermore, according to the above described liquid container of the present invention, it is prevented to connect the negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the liquid containing chamber in an inclined state, and therefore, it is possible to prevent the leakage or scattering of ink from occurring when installing and removing the negative pressure generating member containing chamber to and from the liquid containing chamber.
Furthermore, it is also possible to make the configuration such that the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber has liquid in the interior before being connected to the above described liquid containing chamber, or it is also possible to make the configuration such that the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber has no liquid in the interior before being connected to the above described liquid containing chamber.
Furthermore, it is also possible to make the configuration such that the above described regulating means is a sliding member capable of expanding and contracting in one direction, or it is also possible to make the configuration such that the above described regulating means is a bellows member capable of expanding and contracting in one direction.
Furthermore, by making the configuration such that each of the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the above described liquid containing chamber has engaging means for keeping the mutually connected state, the connected state of both fellow containing chambers is stabilized, so that the reliability of the operation of supplying liquid may be raised.
Furthermore, the configuration is made such that the above described regulating means covers at least the periphery of the connecting area of the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the above described liquid containing chamber, and therefore, even if leakage of ink or scattering of ink occurs from the connecting part of both fellow containing chambers, the ink is caught and gathered in the regulating means, and it is prevented from leaking out to the outside of the regulating means.
Furthermore, it is preferable to make the configuration so that the above described regulating means may cover the periphery except for the liquid supply port surface of the above described negative pressure generating member containing chamber and the atmosphere communicating port surface of the above described liquid containing chamber.